Tape exposes Congress's Maharashtra shaky story

Festering discontent among top Congress leaders in Maharashtra came to the fore on Saturday after an audio clip of a phone conversation between the party's state chief Ashok Chavan and a member went viral on social media.

Nanded MP Chavan, who is also the president of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee, purportedly says in the tape that he is frustrated and intends to quit as his views are not being respected in the party.

Chavan didn't deny or confirm if it was indeed his voice. He said there was outrage among his party colleagues over ticket distribution, particularly for the Chandrapur constituency. "We will sort out all these issues. The conversation is between two party workers. It is internal communication. It should not be highlighted much in public. It's my responsibility to listen to my party men," Chavan told DNA.

Of the 48 seats in the state, the Congress had contested on 26 in 2014. It could win only two, including one by Chavan, who has also served as the state's chief minister. This time, Maharashtra votes in four phases starting April 11.

Sources said all hell broke loose after the Congress chose Vinayak Bhangade over Suresh Dhanorkar, a Shiv Sena legislator who recently switched side, for Chandrapur. This was despite Chavan's promise to Dhanorkar that he would be fielded from the constituency.

A party worker called up Chavan to express his displeasure for nominating a "weak" candidate from Chandrapur. In a snatch of the call that has now been widely circulated on social media, the worker asks Chavan why the Congress went for a "loosing" candidate. Chavan is heard saying, "I'm with you and support your claim as well. No one in the party is listening to me. Please contact Congress general secretary Mukul Wasnik who may help you change the candidate."

Sources said Wasnik has been interfering in the party's state affairs.

"Chavan is feeling helpless. He has not been given the free hand. In Aurangabad too, the Congress has fielded Subhas Zambad, a weak contender, while ignoring local party MLA Abdul Sattar. An upset Sattar has decided to contest from there as an independent candidate," said a political observer.

There were also heartburns over Ratnagiri-Sindudurgh candidate Machindra Bandiwadekar, who has alleged links with controversial outfit Sanatan Sanstha. The political observer added, "Various sections of people have demanded that the candidate is changed. Chavan has to do a lot of firefighting before the Lok Sabha polls."